REPORT DIGEST

ILLINOIS STUDENT ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

FINANCIAL AUDIT
For the Year Ended:
June 30, 2001

AND
COMPLIANCE AUDIT
For the Two Years Ended:
June 30, 2001

Summary of Findings:

Total this audit 5
Total last audit 14
Repeated from last audit 2

Release Date:
April 18, 2002

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State of Illinois
Office of the Auditor General

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND

AUDITOR GENERAL

To obtain a copy of the Report contact:
Office of the Auditor General
Attn: Records Manager
Iles Park Plaza
740 E. Ash Street
Springfield, IL 62703
(217)782-6046 or TDD (217) 524-4646
This Report Digest is also available on
the worldwide web at
http://www.state.il.us/auditor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

  • ISAC has never filed contracts exceeding $5,000 for the Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program with the State Comptroller.
  • ISAC did not adequately collaterize cash on deposit with various banks as required by the State Officers and Employees Money Disposition Act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Expenditures and Activity Measures are summarized on the reverse page.}

 

ILLINOIS STUDENT ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
FINANCIAL AND COMPLIANCE AUDIT
For The Year Ended June 30, 2001
(In Thousands)

FINANCIAL OPERATIONS (All Funds)

FY 2001

FY 2000

REVENUES
Appropriations
Interest revenue
Federal government
Licenses and fees
Student loan collections
Other
TOTAL
EXPENDITURES/EXPENSES
Education program
Interest expense/Loss on Securities
Administrative expense
Bond issue expense
Accretion expense
Bond principal payments
Other expense
TOTAL


$399,423
155,505
95,052
33,321
16,686
3,435
$703,422

$494,255
114,415
70,241
13,972
8,763
1,905
1,202
$704,753


$374,429
129,767
81,104
22,046
17,032
4,805
$629,183

$447,908
85,307
59,868
11,385
5,348
1,810
1,074
$612,700

SELECTED BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNTS

FY 2001

FY 2000

Cash and cash equivalents
Investments and marketable securities
Receivables, net:
Student loans
Other
Restricted assets
Land, buildings and equipment, net
Tuition & accretion payable
Revenue notes and bonds payable
Retained earnings - reserved for bond debt
Fund balances:
Reserved
Unreserved

$115,169
152,741

1,686,728
82,244
377,816
26,539
173,409
1,983,197
128,325

5,490
81,761

$155,735
83,188

1,277,439
67,872
347,689
28,264
114,799
1,559,312
98,803

6,368
111,038

Total assets and other debits
Total liabilities
Total fund equity and other credits

$2,493,974
2,252,976
240,998

$2,007,191
1,763,063
244,128

AGENCY DIRECTOR(S)
During Audit Period: Larry E. Matejka
Currently: Larry E. Matejka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agency is not filing contracts exceeding $5,000 with State Comptroller’s Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Failure to protect public deposits could result in loss

 

Bank balances of $45,686 in FY 2001 and $54,156 in FY 2000 were not insured or collateralized

 

INTRODUCTION

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) was created to establish and administer a system of financial assistance, through loan guarantees, scholarships and grant awards for residents of the State of Illinois to enable them to attend qualified public or private institutions of their choice within Illinois. FY 2001 was the third year ISAC issued contracts in its new mandate of offering a prepaid tuition program – College Illinois!. Footnote 15 discloses that College Illinois! had an actuarial (deficit) of $18.5 million as of June 30, 2001.

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

NEED TO FILE CONTRACTS WITH THE STATE COMPTROLLER

ISAC has not filed copies of contracts with the State Comptroller’s Office for the Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP). The Program’s expenditures are paid from locally-held funds.

The State Comptroller’s procedures require all contracts exceeding $5,000 be filed and made available within the Statewide Accounting Management System (SAMS). The requirement applies to all contracts regardless if paid from either a State Treasurer-held fund or from an agency-held fund.

The agency indicated it was not aware the SAMS filing requirements applied to the Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program. (Finding 1, page 15)

We recommended ISAC establish policies and procedures that ensure that locally-held fund contracts be filed in accordance with State regulations.

ISAC management agreed with the finding and recommendation and stated they have established procedures whereby all contracts exceeding $5,000, including those paid from locally held funds, will be filed with the State Comptroller’s Office.

INADEQUATE COLLATERALIZATION TO SECURE CASH ON DEPOSIT

The amount of collateral pledged to secure cash on deposit with various banks was not adequate as required by the State Officers and Employees Money Disposition Act. The Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP) bank balances exceeded FDIC Insurance and collateral. This finding has been repeated since 1995.

A review of the IDAPP records revealed cash and cash equivalents on deposit with banking institutions totaling $5,824,956 and $13,109,164 in FY 2001 and FY 2000, respectively. Of this total, $45,686 and $54,156 in FY 2001 and FY 2000 respectively were not covered by FDIC Insurance or adequately collateralized.

The State Officers and Employees Money Disposition Act requires that public deposits by protected against risk of loss with FDIC insurance or with collateral. (Finding 5, page 21)

We recommended IDAPP require financial institutions to pledge an adequate amount of collateral to secure their deposits where the amount on deposit exceeded FDIC insurance coverage.

ISAC officials agreed with the recommendation and stated they are committed to being compliant with the State Officers and Employees Money Disposition Act (30 ILCS 230). ISAC officials also stated the lack of collateralization related to one account which will be transferred, thus eliminating the non-compliance in the future. (For previous ISAC responses, see Digest footnote.)

OTHER FINDINGS

Other findings involved issues dealing with reporting requirements applicable to bond indentures and letters of credit. They were less significant and are reportedly being given attention by ISAC management. We will review progress toward implementation of our recommendations in our next audit.

ISAC responses were provided by Mr. Tomy Nella, Controller.

AUDITORS’ OPINION

The auditors stated the financial statements for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission as of and for the year ended June 30, 2001 are fairly presented in all material respects.

____________________________________

WILLIAM G. HOLLAND, Auditor General

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AUDITORS ASSIGNED

Miller Cooper & Co., Ltd. were our special assistant auditors for this audit.

Digest Footnote

Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program and Illinois Opportunity Loan Program Cash and Cash Equivalents

1999: Commission agrees with recommendation and were to review their investment policy and monitor this area on a regular basis so that IDAPP would be in compliance with the State Officers and Employees Money Disposition Act (30 ILCS 230).

1997: Commission agrees with recommendation and have taken steps to collateralize as much of its cash and cash equivalents as it believes is cost beneficial. The Commission further states that they have collateralized by maintaining their cash in a Money Market account and/or Investment Contract which invests in U.S. Treasury notes and bills, U.S. Government Agencies or Repurchase Agreements. They also stated that they would continue to make improvements in this area and will monitor on a regular basis to adequately manage the risk.

1995: Commission agrees with the recommendation and will seek to collateralize deposits with financial institutions that exceed FDIC Insurance in accordance with the State Officers and Employees Money Disposition Act. The majority of the cash and cash equivalents were invested in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act in Treasury money market funds and Guaranteed Investment Contracts and were not deposits that needed to be collateralized.